THE ODYSSEY (2026, 70MM THEATER). In an uncertain industry where even great directors' good work fails regularly (George Miller's "Furiosa: A Mad Max Story," etc.), Christopher Nolan is the closest Hollywood has to a guarantee of both quality cinematic storytelling and boffo box office returns. So it'll surprise nobody to know his adaptation of Homer's "The Odyssey" is as good as $250 millon dollars can get in the hands of somebody who has trained his loyal/regular viewers to adapt to his mise-en-scène. Told from the POV of characters sick of waiting for Odysseus' return after 20 difficult years (Tom Holland's Telemachus and John Leguizamo's Eumaeus being the standouts) with a handful of dramatic liberties (Elliot Page's Sinon character) to build suspense/drama on material widely known by a large swath of the audience, the sandwiched-between-palace-intrigue action sequence flashbacks (the taking of Troy, the Cyclops cave, etc.) are as compelling as the more messed-up magical stuff (Samantha Morton's Circe... yikes!😱😓). Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth (Pearl!🥰), Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal and an initially subdued Anne Hathaway (who catches fire late in the film) are all predictably excellent. I could have done with less of Zendaya's Athena, but there's a payoff to her presence throughout Odysseus' ordeal.
I was engaged throughout (the 3 hrs. flew by) but was not feeling the constant references to Odysseus (Matt Damon) unconsciously sabotaging himself to avoid returning home. Which leads to a handful of final scenes (action-packed finale notwithstanding) where Nolan gives a perspective on the Troy conflict that had never even crossed my mind the many times I read it or in the movie up to that point. It's a powerful, dramatic payoff that, retroactively in this viewing and future ones (already have secured hard-to-get IMAX 70mm tickets for a distant rewatch), makes "The Odyssey" my 2nd or 3rd favorite Nolan film after "Oppenheimer" and "The Dark Knight."😎🙂
EVIL DEAD (2013) & EVIL DEAD RISE (2023, HBO MAX). EVIL DEAD BURN (2026, AMC DOLBY CINEMA).
Last week Ed B. wrote a review of "Evil Dead Burn" lamenting its use of domestic abuse as part of the violence inflicted on its female characters. That got me intrigued enough to want to see it and judge by myself, but I hadn't seen the reboots yet. Actually, I know I saw the '13 "ED" reboot years ago, but I don't remember any of it. Back then I was mad Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell and Robert Tapert were cashing in on their early 80's baby. So I watched the first two back-to-back on streaming, then the following day saw "EDB" in Dolby Cinema. That's a lot of "Evil Dead" in 24 hrs. after 13 years ignoring these modern-day reboots, but now... I love all of them!😍😳With Tapert doing most of the producing while Sam and Bruce executive produce from afar (get well soon, Mr. Chin!😥😓), each new "ED" is basically a showcase of excessive cruelty/gore by new young directors at the service of a singular theme per flick: drug addiction for "ED," fear of single parenting in "EDR" and domestic abuse in "EDB." Simplistic, yes, but that's a lot more than most horror films offer in their jump scare-filled narrative.
My favorite by far is Lee Cronin's "Evil Dead Rise." What sounds like sacrilege to diehard fans (bringing the horrors of the undead into a present-day Los Angeles apartment building locked out of the world by an untimely earthquake) really hit me hard, since I knew many members of the likable family the film centers on were going to be possessed and turn into cruel supernatural a-holes. Alyssa Sutherland steals the movie, IMO.🤓 Sébastien Vanicek's "Evil Dead Burn" was second and (sorry Ed B.) I feel the domestic abuse is well incorporated and makes sense within this cruel movie universe (demons torture victims by targeting their weaknesses). And despite liking the ultimate bloodbath it results in and its final girl Mia (Jane Levy), Fede Alvarez's "Evil Dead's" drug addiction theme feels hollow and tacked-on. Had a great time, will rewatch often.😎
I've owned the "Ash vs. ED" complete series on BD for years, but have never seen it. 3 seasons worth of Bruce Campbell goodness just waiting for me to grab the discs and push a button. WTF is wrong with me? 🥵🥺😢
That's what l like most about the rebooted 2013-26 "ED" movies: the violence/gore/cruelty humor is so over the top, with the dark-as-hell humor dialed way down from the OG "ED" trilogy. There is some comedy in the new movies (the granny in "ED Burn" next to Bruce Campbell's photo on the stairs! 😅😂), but the emphasis has shifted away from "ED 2" and "Army of Darkness." So groovy! 😱😵💫
T-FORCE (1994, HOWDY). A new-to-me PM Entertainment-produced, Richard Pepin-directed joint that has perhaps the strongest, most fun opening act in any movie the studio ever made. "In the near future" (ahem!), the robotic cyberunit T-Force is sent to free hostages from a high-rise building controlled by armed terrorists. Yes, it's "The Terminator" meets "Die Hard," and the low-budget, DTV action results are as gloriously stupid entertaining as you'd expect from PM Ent. A few of the human hostages die, though, prompting authorities to shut down the program. Most of the robots sense this as a threat to their existence and go on a self-preserving rampage. Only one robot (Evan Lurie's Adam) and a cop who hates working with robots (Jack Scalia) stand between right and total robotic anarchy. There's a goofy sense of humor throughout "T-Force," from the casting (Martin E. Brooks' reprising his Rudy scientist role from both "Six Million Dollar Man" and "Bionic Woman," Erin Gray as the major, Vernon Wells, Darren McBee, etc.) to the absurd situations (a male/female robot find a p0rn0 magazine, get curious and start 'doing it' while a third robot watches from a window with a p0rn0 magazine of his own). A super fun mid-90's time capsule or, as the PM Entertainment people used to call it, just another day at the office.🤨😁
THE EYES (SOUTH KOREA, 2026, THEATER). A Korean remake of 2010's "Julia's Eyes" from Spain. Two twin sisters, one a blind sculptor and the other a successful photographer, separate for reasons unknown until the blind sculptor is found hanged from a rope in her basement. Initially ruled a suicide by authorities, living sister Shin Min-a (Seo Jin) refuses to believe that because... reasons that are gradually revealed, and sets to find her sister's murderer before her own bout with blindness cripples her for good. "The Eyes" ultimately morphs from dramatic sisterly conflicts (mostly told in flashbacks) into a horror-leaning police procedural. I'm dancing around trying to avoid major spoilers, but what ultimately makes me recommend "The Eyes" is the quiet sense of dread present throughout of an artist that uses her eyes for a living realizing she's about to lose her sight. It's a universal fear that grounds this (and its Spaniard inspiration) past some of the narrative's more outlandish set-pieces (ahem!). Have fun!🫡🤫
RIFFTRAX: MIAMI CONNECTION (1988/2021, YOUTUBE). Believe it or not I was trying to ignore Mike, Kevin and Bill's never-ending quips because I used this YT video as part of a Jury Room 4.0 watchalong, but didn't want to blow $3.99 on a rental. So my attention was focused on the movie, the dialogue (as much as you could hear with the riffers talking loudly over it) and, naturally, the music.😍🥰 My God, these songs are catchy earworms that won't leave your brain once they're inside. I saw this Wednesday and today (early Saturday) I still have 'Against the Ninja' and 'Friends for Eternity' songs blasting in my inner ear!🥵😅 Many JR 4.0 folks had never seen "Miami Connection," and you know the joy of indoctrinating fellow movie lovers into a so-bad-its-good specific bad movie cult. The usual highlights (Jim's 'Oh my Gaaaaaadd!' and younger-than-him father, Ellis-lookalike brother overprotective of his middle-aged sister dating Michael Phelps, shirtless feedings at Y.K. Kim's shirtless-only boys' house, etc.) played great, and a good time was mostly had by most viewers in attendance. Sorry Joyce.😉😜
I enjoy Miami Connection unironically! But i also LOVE watching it with the rifftrax crew. And, believe it or not, somewhere i have an actual sleeveless tshirt for Dragon Sound! LOL! "oh my gaaaaad"..LOL!!
Tiger on the Beat I & II (1988 & 1990): Patrick mentioned it in a podcast and in one of his Patreon columns, following recommendations from Junesploitation (I missed the reviews on that day). And me being me, I jumped on the Shout 4k boxset, then buried it in 'the pile'. First thing, I loved it, but it's also everything you'd expect from a Hong Kong movie of that time. If you've seen a Ringo Lam of Tsui Hark movie, you'll have an idea of what it looks like. Sometimes funny, sometimes violent, sprinkle a bit of hornyness and a couple of badly dubbed white foreigners (the bad guys, obviously), and you've got the perfect combo for a good time.
Matinee (1993): Something compelled me to watch it. Some unseen force. Spoilers, it was Patrick and JB, who just released a commentary for the movie on Patreon. Go listen to it, it's great. I also ordered Them!, because it was mentioned during the commentary 😎😁
The Odyssey (2026): Long story short, I loved it. It's certainly not without faults, no movie's perfect, and I'm passed the age of nitpicking movies to death. I don't care about whatever 'liberties' were taken to the source material, I only care if the movie's good. All the Nolan-ism are there, and the scope is as epic as can be.
Fire and Ice (1983): In glorious 4K. There was some delay in shipping, and had to pay customs on top of the very high price, but the movie's awesome and would've paid more.
The Rock (1996): Because sometimes you need to watch Ed Harris go nuts. Arguably the best Michael Bay movie.
Kunider...if you do podcasts then i HIGHLY suggest a recent Screen Drafts doing the films of Joe Dante. No spoilers on whether or not Matinee makes the list. The drafters are two great movie fans from the days of AICN: Drew McWeeny and Eric Vespe. Its a wonderful look at incredible movies o Dante. Now...as for THEM....that was one of my favorite childhood old school horror flicks. I was fortunate enough to grow up with Son of Svengoolie (now Svengoolie) and watch countless 50s horror movies. Something about THEM just stood out.
JM Vargas, you're fine with the blu-ray. Though the 4k is gorgeous, the steelbook is very cool, and is mostly for crazy-ocd-collector people like me. I'm sure a standard release will happen soon
I hate it when studio releases a deluxe box set but no cheaper, non-deluxe alternative. I'm still waiting for Sony to release the 4K of Tom Savini's uncensored "NOTLD" (90) after the deluxe package sold out last year. 😡🤬
STOKED to report i found 3 new great flix this week!
The Furious (2026 digital purchase)
For those that follow any action fans on twitter/bluesky then you know this movie has been getting a LOT of buzz. Im here to tell you its all true. It absolutely sits along side a few other huge surprise moves from the past several years including: The Raid, The Raid 2, The Night Comes for US, KIll, SISU, etc. The premise is threadbare: two men find themselves connected in a search to find loved ones captured by a child abduction gang. Non stop fighting ensues. The action is brutal, stylized, constant, and INCREDIBLE. Already rewatched many scenes multiple times.
Primate (2026 dvd)
The premise of a killer monkey seemed 'meh' but im excited to say that this movie is reallllly well made and absolutely a blast. Its sort of a pastiche of Cujo, Jaws on land, and the Reef. The monkey and its ability to emote is a truly scary serial killer. The violence is bananas (pun intended!). Horror fans....check it out.
Faces of Death (2026 Shudder)
This may be the most surprising watch ive seen in decades. I am a child of the 80s and, like many, SOMEHOW got a hold of the legendary cult bootleg vhs. That being said i expected this to be a dumb watered down reboot. Turns out its far from it. Its not a sequel nor a reboot but rather a story built around the original cult tape. Even better? Its a GREAT horror movie. I mean GREAT. The two leads are wonderful. The unraveling of the plot and attempt to bring down the big bad is so well told. Its got good kills but, weirdly, thats not the focus. Its got poignant commentary on the current state of social media/influencer/doom-scrolling. I cant believe im saying this: in many ways it captures some of the incredible tension and cat-and-mouse of Silence of the Lambs. Oh, and somehow it will play to old folks like me that grew up with the original AND to young new fans who have NO idea of the history. HIGHLY suggested.
Less horror, more tonally dour and suspenseful. Also better discovered than spoiled. The premise is a man receives a call with some potentially life changing news as hes walking to a subway train. Suddenly he finds himself trapped in a loop of hallways. He needs to figure out the rules to get out. I liked it but didnt love it. The repetition rules are interesting and make you watch closely but felt a bit long winded to me. In the end theres alot of deeper meaning to the events that some viewers will connect with and perhaps others not. Still, very creative premise.
PS: Great work with the thumbnail Patrick! I completely forgot about the story structure of O Brother and this is a great reminder that i need to revisit soon. Right after i go out and get me more Dapper Dan!
Agree with you on "Primate" and "Furious," but l found the new "Faces of Death" trite and forgettable. I'd rather rewatch the original phony VHS releases, and l hate those to start with. Didn't see "Exit 8"... yet. 🤨
Only positive l can give the new "FOD" was the casting of Barbie Ferreira as the lead. We need more average-looking final girls, they can't all be anorexic, fit super model types. 🙂👻
Earlier this week I found the first printing of the Vincent Price Collection Vol.1 from Shout. This version includes the intros by Vincent Price. Price is a giant blank spot in my movie knowledge, and this was my cue to fill it. Today is a gray and rainy day, so it's the perfect time to binge them, I just finished The Pit and The Pendulum. Vol.2 is very hard to find, so I'll probably just get Vol.3 at some point and hope to find the other one eventually.
'Earlier this week I found the first printing of the Vincent Price Collection Vol.1 from Shout.' Cheap i hope? Or at the very least fair, non-obscene unpmarked. 🫤🙄
Same price as the reprint 😎. Otherwise i would've gone with the reprint. My local used dvd store always sell according to the MSRP, and he often gets really cool stuff
THE ELEPHANT MAN (1980) After all these years, it finally happened. I actually bought something at the Criterion half-off sale.
THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN (1988) Terry Gilliam goodness!
PROJECT HAIL MARY (2026) Really enjoyed this the second time around. I'm thinking this one will be an all-timer.
ROBOCOP 3 (1993) The flying jetpack is less cool than I remembered.
SHEEP DETECTIVES (2026) a.k.a. Benoit BAHHHH-nc.
WAYNE'S WORLD (1992) I can't decide if this movie is amusing or annoying. Could it somehow be... both?
And I watched OBSESSION (2026) with the Blu-ray commentary. Curry Barker talks a lot about how the original movie that premiered at TIFF was in rough shape. Focus Features then stepped in and funded extensive reshoots, making the movie we've all seen kinda/sorta a remake of the first version. I wonder how often stuff like this happens.
Of all Criterion titles half off for decades, this is the one you choose? Tsk, tsk, tsk. 🤐😏 And newsflash, "Robocop 3'" flying jetpack was never cool in the movie; the idea/concept was cool, the execution was uber-lame. 🥵😓
It was catch up time for the DVR this week. Many films have been recorded from FXM (Fox Movies) and Turner Classic Movies in the past few weeks, and the new system only stores them for a month before deletion.
WILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER? (1957, dir. Frank Tashlin) – This was a delightful watch. Tony Randall is the titular Rock Hunter, a Madison Avenue ad man creating commercials for the then new medium of television. The goofy vibe and self-awareness begin in the opening credits with Tony Randall talking straight to the audience about what it come in the film. Jayne Mansfield portrays a very Marilyn Monroesque Hollywood actress who accidentally gets involved with Rock Hunter to get back at her ex-boyfriend (future Mansfield husband Mickey Hargitay). It is a subplot that brings a lot of zany humor to the film. There are also sequences that deal with celebrity, teenagers, life decisions, and corporate life in a frequently absurd yet always comical manner.
THE LODGER (1944) – Actor Laird Cregar only had a brief stint in Hollywood, but he left a big impression in the roles that he played during that time. His life ended at 31 from health complications involving extreme dieting. His role as the creepy Mr. Slade in this Jack the Ripper inspired thriller is the high point of his screen career. Slade is the lodger in the home of a family who suspects him of being the killer roaming around London’s Whitechapel district. Besides the fantastic Cregar performance, there are plenty of atmospheric shots of foggy streets and alleyways. The film looks like a film noir in many ways.
LISZTOMANIA (1975, dir. Ken Russell) – Ken Russell created some crazy cinematic works, but this might take the cake as the craziest. It is hard to find words to describe the film. This is not “good” in so many ways, yet I was seldom bored by the extravagant spectacle that Russell concocted. Though supposedly a rock opera biopic of the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, the film becomes an avant-garde pop cinema spectacle with horror scenes, absurd e-r-o-t-i-c-i-s-m, Nazis and plenty of artistic overload. With the existence of these Ken Russell rock operas and DePalma’s Phantom of the Paradise, there was obviously some kind of wild rock 'n' roll cinematic energy in the air around the mid-1970s.
THE FURY (1978, dir. Brian DePalma) – A case of the parts being better than the whole. Though the movie does not gel together, a great cast elevates the material considerably. The Fury has several movies contained within it. Amy Irving is back in telekinetic Carrie territory, Kirk Douglas is in a revenge political thriller, and horror elements creep in at the conclusion. The conclusion is actually the strongest section of the film. The camerawork is terrific throughout, and the action set-pieces are energetic and well staged. Chicago is a vibrant location for the story. It was interesting to see Dennis Frantz and Daryl Hannah show up in bit parts.
And here we go!😃
ReplyDeleteTHE ODYSSEY (2026, 70MM THEATER). In an uncertain industry where even great directors' good work fails regularly (George Miller's "Furiosa: A Mad Max Story," etc.), Christopher Nolan is the closest Hollywood has to a guarantee of both quality cinematic storytelling and boffo box office returns. So it'll surprise nobody to know his adaptation of Homer's "The Odyssey" is as good as $250 millon dollars can get in the hands of somebody who has trained his loyal/regular viewers to adapt to his mise-en-scène. Told from the POV of characters sick of waiting for Odysseus' return after 20 difficult years (Tom Holland's Telemachus and John Leguizamo's Eumaeus being the standouts) with a handful of dramatic liberties (Elliot Page's Sinon character) to build suspense/drama on material widely known by a large swath of the audience, the sandwiched-between-palace-intrigue action sequence flashbacks (the taking of Troy, the Cyclops cave, etc.) are as compelling as the more messed-up magical stuff (Samantha Morton's Circe... yikes!😱😓). Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth (Pearl!🥰), Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal and an initially subdued Anne Hathaway (who catches fire late in the film) are all predictably excellent. I could have done with less of Zendaya's Athena, but there's a payoff to her presence throughout Odysseus' ordeal.
I was engaged throughout (the 3 hrs. flew by) but was not feeling the constant references to Odysseus (Matt Damon) unconsciously sabotaging himself to avoid returning home. Which leads to a handful of final scenes (action-packed finale notwithstanding) where Nolan gives a perspective on the Troy conflict that had never even crossed my mind the many times I read it or in the movie up to that point. It's a powerful, dramatic payoff that, retroactively in this viewing and future ones (already have secured hard-to-get IMAX 70mm tickets for a distant rewatch), makes "The Odyssey" my 2nd or 3rd favorite Nolan film after "Oppenheimer" and "The Dark Knight."😎🙂
EVIL DEAD (2013) & EVIL DEAD RISE (2023, HBO MAX).
EVIL DEAD BURN (2026, AMC DOLBY CINEMA).
Last week Ed B. wrote a review of "Evil Dead Burn" lamenting its use of domestic abuse as part of the violence inflicted on its female characters. That got me intrigued enough to want to see it and judge by myself, but I hadn't seen the reboots yet. Actually, I know I saw the '13 "ED" reboot years ago, but I don't remember any of it. Back then I was mad Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell and Robert Tapert were cashing in on their early 80's baby. So I watched the first two back-to-back on streaming, then the following day saw "EDB" in Dolby Cinema. That's a lot of "Evil Dead" in 24 hrs. after 13 years ignoring these modern-day reboots, but now... I love all of them!😍😳With Tapert doing most of the producing while Sam and Bruce executive produce from afar (get well soon, Mr. Chin!😥😓), each new "ED" is basically a showcase of excessive cruelty/gore by new young directors at the service of a singular theme per flick: drug addiction for "ED," fear of single parenting in "EDR" and domestic abuse in "EDB." Simplistic, yes, but that's a lot more than most horror films offer in their jump scare-filled narrative.
My favorite by far is Lee Cronin's "Evil Dead Rise." What sounds like sacrilege to diehard fans (bringing the horrors of the undead into a present-day Los Angeles apartment building locked out of the world by an untimely earthquake) really hit me hard, since I knew many members of the likable family the film centers on were going to be possessed and turn into cruel supernatural a-holes. Alyssa Sutherland steals the movie, IMO.🤓 Sébastien Vanicek's "Evil Dead Burn" was second and (sorry Ed B.) I feel the domestic abuse is well incorporated and makes sense within this cruel movie universe (demons torture victims by targeting their weaknesses). And despite liking the ultimate bloodbath it results in and its final girl Mia (Jane Levy), Fede Alvarez's "Evil Dead's" drug addiction theme feels hollow and tacked-on. Had a great time, will rewatch often.😎
Great reviews as always JM! I cant wait to see Odyssey and am beyond jealous that you'll be seeing IMAX 70mm. Well played indeed.
DeleteNot for a while. My IMAX 70mm tickets are for early August. 🥵😭
DeleteI did an Evil Dead marathon a while ago. The original 3 movies, then the tv series. Fun times
DeleteA couple of months ago I got ED13 and EDR and had a great time watching them. I'm very curious about EDB, the reviews are not all good.
I've owned the "Ash vs. ED" complete series on BD for years, but have never seen it. 3 seasons worth of Bruce Campbell goodness just waiting for me to grab the discs and push a button. WTF is wrong with me? 🥵🥺😢
DeleteIt's a fun show, and only 30 episodes, 30min each. Worth your valuable time. I feel they ended just in time, one more season would've been too much
DeleteOh, and plenty of gore 😁
That's what l like most about the rebooted 2013-26 "ED" movies: the violence/gore/cruelty humor is so over the top, with the dark-as-hell humor dialed way down from the OG "ED" trilogy. There is some comedy in the new movies (the granny in "ED Burn" next to Bruce Campbell's photo on the stairs! 😅😂), but the emphasis has shifted away from "ED 2" and "Army of Darkness." So groovy! 😱😵💫
DeleteThe best of the rest.🤗
ReplyDeleteT-FORCE (1994, HOWDY). A new-to-me PM Entertainment-produced, Richard Pepin-directed joint that has perhaps the strongest, most fun opening act in any movie the studio ever made. "In the near future" (ahem!), the robotic cyberunit T-Force is sent to free hostages from a high-rise building controlled by armed terrorists. Yes, it's "The Terminator" meets "Die Hard," and the low-budget, DTV action results are as gloriously stupid entertaining as you'd expect from PM Ent. A few of the human hostages die, though, prompting authorities to shut down the program. Most of the robots sense this as a threat to their existence and go on a self-preserving rampage. Only one robot (Evan Lurie's Adam) and a cop who hates working with robots (Jack Scalia) stand between right and total robotic anarchy. There's a goofy sense of humor throughout "T-Force," from the casting (Martin E. Brooks' reprising his Rudy scientist role from both "Six Million Dollar Man" and "Bionic Woman," Erin Gray as the major, Vernon Wells, Darren McBee, etc.) to the absurd situations (a male/female robot find a p0rn0 magazine, get curious and start 'doing it' while a third robot watches from a window with a p0rn0 magazine of his own). A super fun mid-90's time capsule or, as the PM Entertainment people used to call it, just another day at the office.🤨😁
THE EYES (SOUTH KOREA, 2026, THEATER). A Korean remake of 2010's "Julia's Eyes" from Spain. Two twin sisters, one a blind sculptor and the other a successful photographer, separate for reasons unknown until the blind sculptor is found hanged from a rope in her basement. Initially ruled a suicide by authorities, living sister Shin Min-a (Seo Jin) refuses to believe that because... reasons that are gradually revealed, and sets to find her sister's murderer before her own bout with blindness cripples her for good. "The Eyes" ultimately morphs from dramatic sisterly conflicts (mostly told in flashbacks) into a horror-leaning police procedural. I'm dancing around trying to avoid major spoilers, but what ultimately makes me recommend "The Eyes" is the quiet sense of dread present throughout of an artist that uses her eyes for a living realizing she's about to lose her sight. It's a universal fear that grounds this (and its Spaniard inspiration) past some of the narrative's more outlandish set-pieces (ahem!). Have fun!🫡🤫
RIFFTRAX: MIAMI CONNECTION (1988/2021, YOUTUBE). Believe it or not I was trying to ignore Mike, Kevin and Bill's never-ending quips because I used this YT video as part of a Jury Room 4.0 watchalong, but didn't want to blow $3.99 on a rental. So my attention was focused on the movie, the dialogue (as much as you could hear with the riffers talking loudly over it) and, naturally, the music.😍🥰 My God, these songs are catchy earworms that won't leave your brain once they're inside. I saw this Wednesday and today (early Saturday) I still have 'Against the Ninja' and 'Friends for Eternity' songs blasting in my inner ear!🥵😅 Many JR 4.0 folks had never seen "Miami Connection," and you know the joy of indoctrinating fellow movie lovers into a so-bad-its-good specific bad movie cult. The usual highlights (Jim's 'Oh my Gaaaaaadd!' and younger-than-him father, Ellis-lookalike brother overprotective of his middle-aged sister dating Michael Phelps, shirtless feedings at Y.K. Kim's shirtless-only boys' house, etc.) played great, and a good time was mostly had by most viewers in attendance. Sorry Joyce.😉😜
I enjoy Miami Connection unironically! But i also LOVE watching it with the rifftrax crew. And, believe it or not, somewhere i have an actual sleeveless tshirt for Dragon Sound! LOL! "oh my gaaaaad"..LOL!!
DeleteYou'll be Hall, I'll back your track as Oates. 🙃🙂
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteLOL!!
DeleteGlen or Glenda (1953, dir. Ed Wood)
ReplyDelete"Glen, I don't fully understand this, but maybe together we can figure it out."
Tiger on the Beat I & II (1988 & 1990): Patrick mentioned it in a podcast and in one of his Patreon columns, following recommendations from Junesploitation (I missed the reviews on that day). And me being me, I jumped on the Shout 4k boxset, then buried it in 'the pile'. First thing, I loved it, but it's also everything you'd expect from a Hong Kong movie of that time. If you've seen a Ringo Lam of Tsui Hark movie, you'll have an idea of what it looks like. Sometimes funny, sometimes violent, sprinkle a bit of hornyness and a couple of badly dubbed white foreigners (the bad guys, obviously), and you've got the perfect combo for a good time.
ReplyDeleteMatinee (1993): Something compelled me to watch it. Some unseen force. Spoilers, it was Patrick and JB, who just released a commentary for the movie on Patreon. Go listen to it, it's great. I also ordered Them!, because it was mentioned during the commentary 😎😁
The Odyssey (2026): Long story short, I loved it. It's certainly not without faults, no movie's perfect, and I'm passed the age of nitpicking movies to death. I don't care about whatever 'liberties' were taken to the source material, I only care if the movie's good. All the Nolan-ism are there, and the scope is as epic as can be.
Fire and Ice (1983): In glorious 4K. There was some delay in shipping, and had to pay customs on top of the very high price, but the movie's awesome and would've paid more.
The Rock (1996): Because sometimes you need to watch Ed Harris go nuts. Arguably the best Michael Bay movie.
The Rock is the best Michael Bay movie only until the Skibidi Toilet movie debuts
Delete"The Rock" is Michael Bay's ONLY good movie. 😁
DeleteI'm happy with my 1080p BD of "Fire and Ice." Had no idea the "Tiger on the Beat" movies had come out in 4K, those are tempting... but I'm so broke! 🥵
Kunider...if you do podcasts then i HIGHLY suggest a recent Screen Drafts doing the films of Joe Dante. No spoilers on whether or not Matinee makes the list. The drafters are two great movie fans from the days of AICN: Drew McWeeny and Eric Vespe. Its a wonderful look at incredible movies o Dante. Now...as for THEM....that was one of my favorite childhood old school horror flicks. I was fortunate enough to grow up with Son of Svengoolie (now Svengoolie) and watch countless 50s horror movies. Something about THEM just stood out.
DeleteI'm always looking for good podcasts. Though they're never as good as FTM 😁😎
DeleteSeconded. 🤞🙃
DeleteMashke, speaking of podcasts and Dante, tell me you listen to his podcast? 😎
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteJM Vargas, you're fine with the blu-ray. Though the 4k is gorgeous, the steelbook is very cool, and is mostly for crazy-ocd-collector people like me. I'm sure a standard release will happen soon
DeleteI hate it when studio releases a deluxe box set but no cheaper, non-deluxe alternative. I'm still waiting for Sony to release the 4K of Tom Savini's uncensored "NOTLD" (90) after the deluxe package sold out last year. 😡🤬
DeleteSTOKED to report i found 3 new great flix this week!
ReplyDeleteThe Furious (2026 digital purchase)
For those that follow any action fans on twitter/bluesky then you know this movie has been getting a LOT of buzz. Im here to tell you its all true. It absolutely sits along side a few other huge surprise moves from the past several years including: The Raid, The Raid 2, The Night Comes for US, KIll, SISU, etc. The premise is threadbare: two men find themselves connected in a search to find loved ones captured by a child abduction gang. Non stop fighting ensues. The action is brutal, stylized, constant, and INCREDIBLE. Already rewatched many scenes multiple times.
Primate (2026 dvd)
The premise of a killer monkey seemed 'meh' but im excited to say that this movie is reallllly well made and absolutely a blast. Its sort of a pastiche of Cujo, Jaws on land, and the Reef. The monkey and its ability to emote is a truly scary serial killer. The violence is bananas (pun intended!). Horror fans....check it out.
Faces of Death (2026 Shudder)
This may be the most surprising watch ive seen in decades. I am a child of the 80s and, like many, SOMEHOW got a hold of the legendary cult bootleg vhs. That being said i expected this to be a dumb watered down reboot. Turns out its far from it. Its not a sequel nor a reboot but rather a story built around the original cult tape. Even better? Its a GREAT horror movie. I mean GREAT. The two leads are wonderful. The unraveling of the plot and attempt to bring down the big bad is so well told. Its got good kills but, weirdly, thats not the focus. Its got poignant commentary on the current state of social media/influencer/doom-scrolling. I cant believe im saying this: in many ways it captures some of the incredible tension and cat-and-mouse of Silence of the Lambs. Oh, and somehow it will play to old folks like me that grew up with the original AND to young new fans who have NO idea of the history. HIGHLY suggested.
Bonus Review!
DeleteExit 8 (2025 Shudder)
Less horror, more tonally dour and suspenseful. Also better discovered than spoiled. The premise is a man receives a call with some potentially life changing news as hes walking to a subway train. Suddenly he finds himself trapped in a loop of hallways. He needs to figure out the rules to get out. I liked it but didnt love it. The repetition rules are interesting and make you watch closely but felt a bit long winded to me. In the end theres alot of deeper meaning to the events that some viewers will connect with and perhaps others not. Still, very creative premise.
PS: Great work with the thumbnail Patrick! I completely forgot about the story structure of O Brother and this is a great reminder that i need to revisit soon. Right after i go out and get me more Dapper Dan!
DeleteAgree with you on "Primate" and "Furious," but l found the new "Faces of Death" trite and forgettable. I'd rather rewatch the original phony VHS releases, and l hate those to start with. Didn't see "Exit 8"... yet. 🤨
DeleteHowdy JM! Thanks for the feedback. Understood all around. I think i went into Faces expecting to hate it and for some reason just got pulled in.
DeleteOnly positive l can give the new "FOD" was the casting of Barbie Ferreira as the lead. We need more average-looking final girls, they can't all be anorexic, fit super model types. 🙂👻
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI read about Exit 8 only recently. Your comment is a sign that i should watch it
DeleteEarlier this week I found the first printing of the Vincent Price Collection Vol.1 from Shout. This version includes the intros by Vincent Price. Price is a giant blank spot in my movie knowledge, and this was my cue to fill it. Today is a gray and rainy day, so it's the perfect time to binge them, I just finished The Pit and The Pendulum. Vol.2 is very hard to find, so I'll probably just get Vol.3 at some point and hope to find the other one eventually.
ReplyDeleteWhat a time to be alive, for movie lovers
'Earlier this week I found the first printing of the Vincent Price Collection Vol.1 from Shout.' Cheap i hope? Or at the very least fair, non-obscene unpmarked. 🫤🙄
DeleteSame price as the reprint 😎. Otherwise i would've gone with the reprint. My local used dvd store always sell according to the MSRP, and he often gets really cool stuff
DeleteGetting a hard-to-find OG print for re-print price is a win in the used market, especially if it's something you like. 🤗🤫
DeleteTHE ELEPHANT MAN (1980)
ReplyDeleteAfter all these years, it finally happened. I actually bought something at the Criterion half-off sale.
THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN (1988)
Terry Gilliam goodness!
PROJECT HAIL MARY (2026)
Really enjoyed this the second time around. I'm thinking this one will be an all-timer.
ROBOCOP 3 (1993)
The flying jetpack is less cool than I remembered.
SHEEP DETECTIVES (2026)
a.k.a. Benoit BAHHHH-nc.
WAYNE'S WORLD (1992)
I can't decide if this movie is amusing or annoying. Could it somehow be... both?
And I watched OBSESSION (2026) with the Blu-ray commentary. Curry Barker talks a lot about how the original movie that premiered at TIFF was in rough shape. Focus Features then stepped in and funded extensive reshoots, making the movie we've all seen kinda/sorta a remake of the first version. I wonder how often stuff like this happens.
No review for "Miami Connection," Mac? 🥶🤓
DeleteOf all Criterion titles half off for decades, this is the one you choose? Tsk, tsk, tsk. 🤐😏 And newsflash, "Robocop 3'" flying jetpack was never cool in the movie; the idea/concept was cool, the execution was uber-lame. 🥵😓
It was catch up time for the DVR this week. Many films have been recorded from FXM (Fox Movies) and Turner Classic Movies in the past few weeks, and the new system only stores them for a month before deletion.
ReplyDeleteWILL SUCCESS SPOIL ROCK HUNTER? (1957, dir. Frank Tashlin) – This was a delightful watch. Tony Randall is the titular Rock Hunter, a Madison Avenue ad man creating commercials for the then new medium of television. The goofy vibe and self-awareness begin in the opening credits with Tony Randall talking straight to the audience about what it come in the film. Jayne Mansfield portrays a very Marilyn Monroesque Hollywood actress who accidentally gets involved with Rock Hunter to get back at her ex-boyfriend (future Mansfield husband Mickey Hargitay). It is a subplot that brings a lot of zany humor to the film. There are also sequences that deal with celebrity, teenagers, life decisions, and corporate life in a frequently absurd yet always comical manner.
THE LODGER (1944) – Actor Laird Cregar only had a brief stint in Hollywood, but he left a big impression in the roles that he played during that time. His life ended at 31 from health complications involving extreme dieting. His role as the creepy Mr. Slade in this Jack the Ripper inspired thriller is the high point of his screen career. Slade is the lodger in the home of a family who suspects him of being the killer roaming around London’s Whitechapel district. Besides the fantastic Cregar performance, there are plenty of atmospheric shots of foggy streets and alleyways. The film looks like a film noir in many ways.
LISZTOMANIA (1975, dir. Ken Russell) – Ken Russell created some crazy cinematic works, but this might take the cake as the craziest. It is hard to find words to describe the film. This is not “good” in so many ways, yet I was seldom bored by the extravagant spectacle that Russell concocted. Though supposedly a rock opera biopic of the Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, the film becomes an avant-garde pop cinema spectacle with horror scenes, absurd e-r-o-t-i-c-i-s-m, Nazis and plenty of artistic overload. With the existence of these Ken Russell rock operas and DePalma’s Phantom of the Paradise, there was obviously some kind of wild rock 'n' roll cinematic energy in the air around the mid-1970s.
THE FURY (1978, dir. Brian DePalma) – A case of the parts being better than the whole. Though the movie does not gel together, a great cast elevates the material considerably. The Fury has several movies contained within it. Amy Irving is back in telekinetic Carrie territory, Kirk Douglas is in a revenge political thriller, and horror elements creep in at the conclusion. The conclusion is actually the strongest section of the film. The camerawork is terrific throughout, and the action set-pieces are energetic and well staged. Chicago is a vibrant location for the story. It was interesting to see Dennis Frantz and Daryl Hannah show up in bit parts.